The invention relates generally to medical devices and procedures, including, for example, medical devices and methods for percutaneous treatment within a spine.
Known medical devices are configured to access percutaneously a vertebra, intervertebral disc, or other areas of a spine to perform a variety of different medical procedures. For example, some devices are configured to distract an interior area of a disc or vertebra. Other devices are configured to inject a filler or replacement material into the distracted volume. In such known medical procedures, separate devices are typically used to distract and fill a disc or vertebra. In such medical procedures, however, the distracted volume (e.g., distracted height) within the vertebra or disc can be reduced during the changing of medical devices.
Thus, a need exists for an apparatus and method for performing procedures within a spine that can distract an interior region of the spine or expand a tissue cavity in or near the spine, and also provide for the injection of a filler material with the same device while maintaining the distracted height or size of the cavity.